Which wines should I pour for the holidays?

By Rocco "Boss Hog" Loosbrock

OK everyone, I don't mean to startle or scare you, but the holidays, or as they sometimes seem amidst all of the craziness, time constraints and "hustle and bustle," the "Holi-Daze" are just around the corner with Thanksgiving in the lead and Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa closing quickly on the outside.

But relax my friend, there's no need to panic, because now you can easily and inexpensively be completely prepared long before the very first guest steps foot inside your doorway! Here's a very simple guide to providing your guests with the perfect holiday wines, without spending an arm and a leg by going overboard and buying too many bottles, or coming across as a miserly "Scrooge" and not having the proper quantity and quality to go around!

Here's the trick:

Appetizers: For appetizers and pre-meal snack food, a nice moderately chilled Sauvignon Blanc goes excellent with finger foods, cut veggies, pasta salads, chips and gourmet salsas and hot sauces. If you plan on serving something cheesy, like a fondue or cheese slices with cold cuts, add a room temperature Cabernet to the mix.

These are both extremely great choices because they well known and established, popular favorites, so they serve and excellent "ice-breakers" for those novice who haven't quite yet developed their "wine wings" and for those Tea Totalers and beer drinkers who might at first feel somewhat out of their element.

Perfect, the first third of the party is handled by just 2 classic, popular wine choice that can't go wrong.

Dinner: It's best to always have both a red and a white available, no matter what the menu is or what rules you have been taught as a kid about wine and food paring. For your white I suggest a moderately dry Riesling to most effectively accompany your seafood platters and dishes, any white meats served, as well as any side dishes consisting of fresh veggies, fruit or cream based sauces.

For your red, you can't go wrong with a Pinot Noir, which is a light, tasty red wine originating in the Burgundy regions of France, but now many wonder Pinot's are made right here in the States. This versatile red that can pair with many foods, especially meats and side dishes with onions, steamed veggies and heavier sauces, like a garlic and leak mushroom sauce.

Dessert & Coffee: get yourself a few medium priced bottles of Port, a wondrously luscious and smooth dessert wine created to be served a room temperature or slightly warmed with your deliciously delectable and delightful dessert dishes. This is a stronger, fortified wine with my punch to that you might expect from its sweet fragrance, so it is intended to be slowly sipped and savored in small portion. Port is perfect for everything from cakes and pies, nuts and fresh fruit, to elegant truffles and chocolates alike. Enjoy!

Signing off at Pigging out!
Rocco "Boss Hog" Loosbrock

Rocco owns and runs a Bacon of the Month Club called The Bacon Freak Bacon is Meat Candy Club as well as a Wine Club called the Coastal Vineyard Wine Club